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Two illegal miners Sibanengi Ncube (21) and Julius Maromo (40) were recently convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison each by a Bulawayo regional magistrate after they violently attacked a mine owner in Fort Rixon, Matabeleland South province, and hacked his leg with a machete before stealing US$3 500 from him.
The mine owner also lost 19 teeth in the attack.
In passing the sentence, the magistrate said the pair callously committed the crime. She said it was by God’s grace that Listen Rusimba did not die after he was mercilessly attacked and spent six months in a coma at a hospital.
The magistrate branded Ncube and his partner in crime barbaric, cruel and heartless, stating that the pair left Rusimba with one leg and unable to work for his family.
During trial, Maromo denied ever attacking the miner.
He said on the day in question, he met Rusimba at the shops and asked to talk to him.
The two claim that while they were talking, Rusimba insulted them, which resulted in an altercation. He alleges the miner then took a gun from his jacket’s pocket and fired three shots into the air.
Maromo says he screamed for help, which drew the attention of other illegal miners. He further says he was unable to identify the people who attacked Rusimba with a machete and chopped off his leg. In his defence, Ncube corroborated Maromo’s testimony and denied any involvement in the assault on Rusimba.
However, after limping towards the witness stand with the aid of crutches, the miner narrated his harrowing ordeal.
“Ncube and Maromo are illegal miners, and during their spare time, they used to sell game meat. I bought US$10 worth of meat on credit. Later that day, they met my son at the shops. It just so happened that my son had not received change from his purchase. After my son left, the two men approached the shop assistant and lied, claiming I had sent them to collect the money left by my son. They were then given the money.
“After two days, I ran into them at the shops and asked them why they had taken money from the shopkeeper. They reacted violently, dragging me outside to a secluded area. There, they punched and kicked me, knocking out 19 teeth.
“In an attempt to scare them off, I fired a shot into the air. However, they struck me on the head with a knobkerrie . . .
“As I lay in excruciating pain, they went a step further; they chopped off my leg with a machete.
“To add to the horror, they then set dogs on me. While I was helpless, the dogs ripped off a part of my remaining leg and others licked the blood from the wound.”
He further said they stole US$3 500 from him, which he intended to use to buy mining equipment.
The miner testified that while hospitalised, the pair raided his home and castrated all his bulls and stole fencing materials and tyres.
He said his children fled from home and now live in Masvingo.
“I am traumatised. As a miner, I am rendered incapable of working due to the pain and my limited mobility. From time to time, I feel intense pain in my chest,” added Rusimba.
“I have already undergone multiple surgeries to remove a tumour in my chest. This ordeal has also deeply affected my family . . .”
Ban
A couple of years ago, there was a proposal to ban machetes in gold-rich areas and those found carrying them were to be jailed under new laws that were being crafted by the Government. Besides the ban and mandatory jail terms, the Government was also considering setting up special courts to ensure such cases are dealt with quickly and effectively.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi back then told our sister paper The Herald that stakeholders should join the fight against machete violence.
“As Government, we are extremely disturbed by the illegal activities of artisanal miners, who continuously terrorise people using machetes,” he said.
“Our cultural values and ethos are at stake and it is every stakeholder’s mandate to work towards bringing sanity into the country.
“I call for an intertwined relationship between the ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police), Judicial Service Commission, prosecuting authorities, mining authorities and other stakeholders to thwart their criminal activities,” he said. — Bureaus
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter